Hobbies aren’t just for fun. They can also boost our health and wellness in many ways. Doing activities you like can lower your stress levels and improve your mood.
But finding a hobby that you enjoy and that suits your busy lifestyle as a mom can be tricky. If you need help finding a hobby, here are four hobbies that benefit your health and well-being to give a try. The best part? You can do all the activities listed below solo or as a family activity.
Puzzles
Puzzles are a relaxing activity that many do to pass the time. There are a lot of pros to puzzles—they’re inexpensive, easy to find, and come in many designs. Also, you can do them anywhere, whether on the couch, at the dining table, or on the porch!
Puzzles can also benefit your mental health immensely. Doing puzzles encourages your brain to release dopamine, a feel-good chemical. Puzzles can also improve your cognition, visual-spatial reasoning, short-term memory, and problem-solving skills. And if you choose to take up puzzles as a hobby, you can let your kids join in on the fun so they can reap similar benefits.
Gardening
Another hobby that benefits your health and well-being is gardening. Gardening is a rewarding hobby that nature lovers will adore! It’s a lot of hard work, but you will reap the rewards when harvest season rolls around, and you can collect the produce that you grew.
Gardening can improve both your physical and mental health. You’ll get a lot of aerobic exercises, which can help with strength, stamina, and flexibility. You’ll also soak in vitamin D, the sunshine vitamin, during your time outside. Vitamin D strengthens your bones and immune system and improves your mood.
And if you grow a bunch of healthy fruits and veggies, you can eat them raw or cook them into a tasty meal for your family. The vitamins, nutrients, and antioxidants in homegrown produce can boost your health even more.
Journaling
Writing is a great hobby in general, but journaling specifically can have an especially positive effect on your mood. Being a mom can be overwhelming at times, and journaling can help you identify and manage your problems, fears, and concerns. Also, you can let out your thoughts and emotions healthily and constructively. Journaling has other benefits, too. It can improve immune function (due to stress reduction), improve memory, improve confidence, and improve creativity.
Dancing
Dancing is fun for the whole family, and it’s healthy, too! Doing a jig can improve your muscular strength, endurance, motor fitness, cardiovascular health, self-confidence, self-esteem, and general mental wellness. Dancing is a great hobby because you can do it anywhere—turn on some music and get grooving! You can also try out dancing games like Just Dance as a fun challenge.
